TIPPECANOE CO. – Sunday, just after 3:30 a.m., the Indiana State Police responded to a single-vehicle fatal crash on Interstate 65 northbound near the 170-mile marker.
A preliminary investigation by Trooper McKinney revealed that a Jeep was traveling north near the 170-mile marker. For an unknown reason, the Jeep ran off the east side of the road, overcorrected, went back across the interstate, and struck the guard rail in the median.
The Jeep then went through the guard rail and came to rest, facing northbound on the inside shoulder of the southbound lanes. The Jeep then became fully engulfed in flames.
The passenger of the Jeep was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Tippecanoe County Coroner. The passenger’s name will be released at a later date by the Tippecanoe County Coroner.
The driver fled on foot from the scene of the crash. After searching the area, officers were able to locate the driver near the interstate and safely take him into custody. The driver was identified as Max Vanegas, 35, from Indianapolis.
During the course of their investigation, troopers were able to develop probable cause to believe the driver was under the influence. Vanegas was transported to a local hospital for a certified blood test. The results of that test are pending. Vanegas was medically cleared from the hospital and transported to Tippecanoe County Jail on charges of leaving the scene of a fatal accident, operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death, OWI endangerment, and OWI.
Trooper McKinney was assisted on the scene by other troopers from the Lafayette Post, Indiana State Police Crash Reconstruction, Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Department, West Lafayette Police Department, Lafayette Police Department, Tippecanoe County Coroner’s Office, Lafayette Fire Department, Tippecanoe Emergency Management, Tippecanoe County EMS, and INDOT.
